


Beaten by Hope, Blinded by Light

by SpazzticRevenge



Category: Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy XIII-2
Genre: Drama, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-06-22
Updated: 2015-10-09
Packaged: 2018-04-20 08:08:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 19,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4780064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpazzticRevenge/pseuds/SpazzticRevenge
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Years have passed and with them came realization. She wanted him, she needed him, but he could never see her in that light. She was sure of it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Days of You to Come

_It had been four years since the fall. Four years since the six l'Cie had fought for their lives and had become a seemingly inseparable family. Of course, even with how close they'd become, they couldn't stop the separation that had occurred through crystallization and time._

_Fang and Vanille were the first loss they had to face. The Oerban women had sacrificed themselves and crystallized Cocoon, leaving them encased in its crystal prison._

_After waking up they were reunited with Serah and Dajh, and shortly after they'd found Hope's father among the rest of the evacuees. That first year after the fall had been a truly blessed one as they all had remained rather close. That is, until the cities had been built, causing Hope and Bartholomew to move to New Palumpolum while the rest of them remained in New Bodhum. Hope had, at first, visited them frequently, but as time drew on and he grew older, the visits became less and less._

_Sazh and Dajh stayed in New Bodhum with the rest of them, but lived on the other side of town. With Dajh in school and Sazh working a lot, their visits were still often but not often enough. Sazh had remained a pilot and joined the Guardian Corps which had become a sort of government over the new civilization, for PSICOM had been stamped out along with the Sanctum._

_Serah and Snow had gotten married a few months after the fall and as soon as New Bodhum was built, moved into their own home together. Lightning had been told numerous times by her sister that she still wanted her to live with them. But the soldier had declined, saying that they needed their space and privacy and she needed her sanity. So Lightning had gotten her own apartment - a two bedroom apartment so Hope would have a place to stay when he visited. Not long after that Lightning had become an aunt, gaining a nephew in her family. As much as Snow still got on Lightning's nerves, over the time as l'Cie, he had grown on her. She knew her sister loved him and that he would do everything in his power to protect her. When she found out Serah was pregnant, though, she had threatened to castrate the man, but held herself back finding that it was what her sister had wanted._

_Lightning went back to work in the Guardian Corps, mainly helping keep civilians safe from the wildlife and monsters of Pulse. Other than the extreme increase in threats, the work was normal for her. She'd sometimes see Sazh at headquarters, but he usually worked in a different branch of the Corps so it wasn't often. As everyone settled back into life, Lightning found herself slipping back into an unwelcome normalcy. She was alone. As everyone's visits began to dwindle, even her sister's with her being preoccupied with her own family, the soldier fell into a slight depression. It wasn't noticeable to anyone when they did visit, for she kept her strong front up being one that hated vulnerability. But she couldn't deny, to herself, that she had enjoyed being with her family and sorely missed just having them around. To fill the new hole that had formed in their absence, Lightning drowned herself in work, taking up many extra shifts. She'd become a workaholic. It wasn't the ideal life she'd wanted, but it was the life she had._

* * *

Lightning plopped onto the couch after coming home from a grueling day of patrolling. She wasn't tired enough to sleep, but she wasn't alive enough to do anything other than sit. So, she began polishing her gunblade. Her thoughts ran over her day and the numerous, almost never-ending amount of Pulsian beasts she'd had to fight. Then they drifted off to thinking about her sister and her impending niece due in only a couple months. It seemed rather shocking to Lightning, but she was excited. She adored her nephew and knew she would love her niece just as much. Then she found herself thinking about Hope. He was eighteen now. He'd graduated just last week and had enrolled in Palumpolum University in the fall. It'd been almost a year since she'd seen the kid. Hope had become busy with his studies and found it difficult to make it out for a visit. She understood. She was incredibly proud of him. Yet she was still deeply saddened by his lack of availability. He called and texted when he could, but with how close they'd become, it just added to the increasing loneliness she felt.

A bit of happiness struck her as she remembered what day it was and what would be happening the following day. Being summer vacation for the young man, he was finally coming out to visit for an entire month. He would be taking a train to New Bodhum in the morning. _Hope will be here tomorrow._ A small smile graced her features at that thought. Snapping out of her mind, Lightning set her gunblade, which had become forlorn in her lap due to her getting lost in her thoughts, to the side and pulled out her phone. It was only seven o'clock so Hope wouldn't be asleep yet, but he should be home. Not sure of what to say, she simply texted, 'Hey,' and waited for a reply.

It was a few long drawn out minutes until her phone vibrated with a response. She looked at the new message from Hope and frowned. 'Hey, I'm a bit busy. Spending some time with Reina before I leave. Text ya when I get home, k?'

_Hope is with her._

Oh yes, she had kept that one little detail out of her thoughts ever since he'd told her. Hope had gotten a girlfriend. They'd been dating for about five months now and from what Lightning knew of relationships, that meant that they were pretty serious. Lightning snapped her phone shut. She felt anger boil inside of her yet she wasn't sure why. Could she be jealous? _No, Lightning Farron doesn't get jealous and most certainly not of high school girls dating a boy seven years her junior. Yes, the boy is Hope, not really a boy, but a man now._ A man that she was extremely close to and trusted more than anyone without true familial ties. Finding herself becoming increasingly confused, Lightning abandoned her thoughts and chose to shower while she waited for his text.

* * *

After her thoroughly refreshing shower, Lightning felt rejuvenated. The warm, soothing water had done her body wonders. Her mind, on the other hand, was still obsessively thinking about Hope. _What the hell is wrong with you? Having your mind all hung up on someone, and a guy, no less... Hope is happy. You should be glad that he's happy and doing so well._ And she truly was. She always wished nothing but the best for her previous protege.

Over the years that Lightning had known Hope, they had formed such a bond that she had become quite dependent on the boy. And although she hoped he would succeed in life, she realized that his success drew him farther from her. Yet again she would be left alone. Soon enough, with college, it would only get worse. _No. Now's not the time to dwell on this. Hope will be out here soon._ At this thought, she felt her mood lighten.

But as Lightning picked up her phone and saw that he had yet to text her, she couldn't help but feel a bitterness overcome her. _I don't know what's wrong with me. Maybe I am... Jealous. But only because... I guess... for so long I was so important in his life. I had been the most important woman in his life, but now... he doesn't need me at all any-_ So consumed by her thoughts, she had nearly jumped out of her skin when her phone went off in her hand. Serah was calling her. Grateful for the distraction from her increasingly disturbing thoughts, she answered. "Hey, Serah."

Her sister sounded tired, but still held her overly cheery tone while speaking with Lightning. "Hey, Claire. What's up? I feel like I haven't talked to you in forever and I really need some sister talk." Serah must've been alone, because she never called her 'Claire' except in private. It had been a rule between the two that had been in place since Lightning had first changed her name.

"Nothing really. I got home about an hour ago."

"Oh, sis, I really wish you wouldn't work so hard."

Lightning rolled her eyes. "It's fine, Serah. It's my job. And like I said, I've been home. I was texting Hope and I just got out of the shower so-"

"Right, Hope's coming tomorrow. I'm so excited. It's been so long since we've seen that boy. I have half a mind to beat that kid for waiting so long to come see us. Of course, I know you'll do that for me. Just go easy on him."

"Oh, please. He's not fourteen anymore. He's fair game now."

Serah giggled at her sister's response. "I'm so glad he's coming. You guys are so great together and I know he makes you happy."

Lightning quirked a brow and put a hand on her hip. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well... nothing i-it'ss just that... I know you and him are so close and... well..." Serah began to sniffle and Lightning could tell that she was crying. "It's just that..."

"Serah, are you okay?"

Sniffing again, Serah's breathing became a little erratic. "I've felt so guilty lately. I love you so much, Claire, and I know you've done so much for me. I can't help but feel like I... I'm a terrible sister. I hardly see you and-"

"Serah, stop." Lightning did feel lonely, but it was not Serah's fault. She had her own family and responsibilities now. It was only natural for Lightning to be put on the back burner. "I'm fine, really. I love you too, Serah. You are a great sister, but it's not just us anymore." As she spoke, she felt her loneliness and sadness deepen. "You have your children and... _Snow_ to look after. You don't need to get upset. Where did this even come from? You and Snow didn't get into a fight did you? Maker, if that stupid oaf did something, I-"

Serah interrupted her older sister, erupting into a fit of giggles. "You two, I swear. No he didn't do anything. It's just..." A bit of static came over the phone as Serah switched ears. "...I guess I'm glad that you'll have someone there with you. And Hope's so sweet and cares about you so much. It's just perfect." She sniffed a few last times, seeming to come out of her bout of tears. "Well, and let's just blame my hormones being all outta whack."

Lightning was ready to reply when another call beeped in on her phone. She looked and saw that it was Hope.

"Oh, hey, Snow. No I'm just talking to Light. Are you still there?"

"Um, yeah. Sorry, Hope's trying to call me, but-"

"Oh, well, then I'll let you go", replied Serah.

"No, I'll just call him back."

Serah giggled. "Nonsense. Snow just came home, anyway. Now answer that young man, right now."

Before Lightning could respond, Serah hung up. Hope's call had already ended, so she went to call him back. Just as she went to press send, her phone went off. "Hello?"

"Hey, Light." Hope sounded as happy and enthusiastic as usual. "How are you? Sorry I was so... _busy_ earlier." His tone grew darker at the end of his sentence, causing Lightning to get suspicious.

"It's no problem. I'm fine, I was just wondering what you were up to."

Hope responded with a yawn as she heard him shifting and moving a few things around. "Oh, well I was with my dad for most of the day, went to a grad party, and... now I'm packing. You know, a whole month is a long time to pack for."

Lightning snorted. "Well, don't think you can shorten your stay just because your luggage is heavy. You're not backing out of this one, Estheim."

Hope laughed, making Lightning's lips quirk up into an involuntary smile. "I wouldn't dream of it. I've missed you all so much." She heard a drawer slam and something hit the floor. "Dammit."

"Everything okay there, Hope?"

He huffed. "Yeah..."

There was a brief lull in the conversation, causing Lightning to dwell on his previous overview of his day. "So you were at the party when I texted?"

A few coughs were given before he could reply. "Um... no, I was at Reina's, but I was only there to drop her off and say goodbye." He sounded a tad uncomfortable at the topic, if his slightly hitched tone had anything to say about him. "Anyway, how was your day?"

"Exhausting. I'm getting kind of tired of being attacked by all of the wildlife around here. But it is what it is."

A loud thump caused Lightning to wince at the static it created over the phone. "Aw, I'm sorry, Light. You should really take it easy. You're a tough soldier and I know it's nothing you can't handle, but... I worry about you sometimes." He paused and Lightning could practically see Hope rethinking his words. "You should probably get some rest and I've got a lot of packing to do."

The roseate put a hand to her hip and put her weight on her right leg. "I would've thought with how excited you were, you would have already packed."

"I started, but I've been so busy that I just..."

Lightning chuckled at his defensiveness. "Relax. It's all right. You'll be here around six, right?"

Hope sighed. "Yeah. Are you still picking me up? I mean, you have the day off, right?"

"Yes, I have the next three days off, actually."

"Awesome!" The young man's enthusiasm quickly died out and was replaced with his old timidness as he cleared his throat. "I mean, that's great, I'll get to spend some time with you before you..."

Lightning rolled her eyes at his sheepish tone. "Yup."

"Well..." He coughed briefly before sighing audibly. "You're tired. I'll let you go. See you tomorrow, Light."

Lightning felt her chest swell at the combination of the happiness in his voice and the fact that she would, in fact, be seeing Hope within the next day. "Night, Hope." With that, she hung up.

She began to ready herself for bed as she thought about her friend's impending arrival and stay. Just the thought of another presence in her house caused joy to rise within her. For the first night in many, probably since Hope had told her of his plan to come out, she went to sleep with a smile on her face and her loneliness subsided some.


	2. Normalcy Changes with the Tides of Time

He'd gotten taller. That was the first thing to strike her when she saw him. It had been a year and he was still a growing boy, so it was to be expected, but the fact still stunned her. He'd grown three to four inches, to her estimation, enough to put him over her own height. _Lebreau can't call you shrimp anymore._ With just a year, not only had he grown taller, but he even looked far more mature. His body was leaner, his features more defined, his hair a little longer. The differences both heightened her attraction to him as well as tugged at her heart, for it just highlighted how long they'd been apart.

Hope stood beside the trusted sign that he waited by every time he visited. A glance up at the 'B12' that the sign announced promised him that he was, in fact, in the right spot. _So, then where is she...?_ Shaking the nervousness from his tense limbs, he attempted to calm himself. It'd been so long since he'd stepped foot into the town that held so much of his family.

He felt like a traitor. Truly, he did. He'd promised over and over again throughout the years to never become a stranger. Yet, here he was, standing there like a foreigner, lost without a guide. Everything had just become far too hectic. School had taken up all of his time and before he'd known it, time had flown by.

Lightning watched Hope for a few more minutes from her spot, appraising his appearance and trying to stomp down all unwanted thoughts about her little Hope before she made her way over to him. "Hey," she said simply, coming up behind him.

Hope whirled around at the sound of her voice, a radiant smile immediately pulling at his lips. Eyes bright, Hope wasted no time in pulling his mentor in for a hug. His heart calmed in the embrace, especially when he felt Lightning's arms come around him. It felt so right. He felt at home.

"Hope, you're shaking." She could feel his body quivering in her arms and it alarmed her. She pulled from him and grasped his chin in her hand, staring deeply into his eyes. "The train still bothers you?"

A deep sigh fell from his lips as he wriggled his chin from her grasp and scratched the back of his head in slight embarrassment. "Yeah... I guess the purge has different lasting effects on everyone."

Lightning nodded, her concern not wavering. She remembered the first time he'd visited. He'd looked completely worn out and drained while his entire body had been shaking like a leaf. The entire ride had been a nightmare for the kid with memories of his last train ride taunting him. Apparently that problem hadn't completely diminished quite yet. A warm hand pressing against her cheek drew Lightning out of her musings as she found herself staring into hardened emerald eyes.

"What happened to your face, Light?" There was a deep scar that curved from the middle of her right cheek to her chin. The scar looked faded and had to be months old. The sight made Hope's chest tighten and he lightly grazed over it with his thumb. _How and when did she get this? And why didn't she tell me?_

Shaking her head, Lightning pulled Hope's hand from her face and bent down to pick up one of his bags. _How could I have forgotten about that? Of course he would see it and want to know about it._ She began to walk away until she felt an adamant tugging on the sleeve of her jacket.

Hope stepped in front of her, ignoring the roll of her eyes. "Don't dismiss me. What happened?" She was insane if she thought that she was going to slip such an obvious injury passed him and not explain it. They were partners, friends. They told each other everything. At least, they used to.

"It's nothing. Just an incident on the job." She met his intense stare with one of her own. He may have gotten taller and older, but she was still his elder, his mentor. That look from her meant finality. Usually Hope respected her enough to know that and accept that. But that look in his eye spoke that it wasn't the end of the discussion. She knew he would bring it up later.

With a curt nod, he allowed the conversation to end as Lightning carried on with his bag and he followed with the rest of his luggage. Five minutes of silence and pushing past busy people reigned until they got in the car and began their way home.

Lightning sat rigidly in her seat, remaining almost painfully regal in her position. Hope's foreign scent announced his presence within her car and it invaded her nostrils as she drove. The strong aroma of coconut spiraled into her being until she couldn't take it. It was the same scent that Hope had consistently held over the years, but never before had it been so strong. Never before had it been so overwhelming.

He observed as Lightning's hands clenched on the steering wheel. He'd made her uncomfortable or had offended her by bringing up the scar. Now he was paying for it with her silence. The tenseness of the atmosphere wrapped itself around him, constricting him in its tight grip until he couldn't breathe. When had it gotten so hard to talk to her? He couldn't find the right words to begin anew, but he tried, his mouth opening and closing as soundless words attempted to be released. Finally, he just spoke. "I missed you."

Lightning blinked at the statement. Leave it to Hope to be so innocently frank about his feelings and emotions. She snorted at him for it. "I missed you, too, Hope." She looked at him from the corner of her eye, noting the smile on his lips and responded with an upward quirk of her own. "We all have missed you. Serah's been so excited and, well, she's really upset with you for taking too long. I don't know if she'll glomp you or murder you."

The silveret groaned. "I'm so, so, so, so, so sorry. I can't even believe I... ugh... There's no excuse. I should be shunned as my punishment. No. I shall have my tongue cut out and be left in a cellar to rot for my treasonous ways."

Lightning's brow furrowed. "What the hell have they been teaching you at that school of yours," she questioned, a laugh in her tone. Hope had always had a bit of a flair for the dramatic. "Ideal torture would be to lock you in a room with Dimitri for a few days."

Hope's eyes widened into saucers at the mere suggestion. "Oh, no, Light. You wouldn't."

"I wouldn't?"

Hope's hand came to rest on his forehead as his body went limp in his seat. "Dear Etro, how will I survive? I'll be tortured by a little three year old with his arsenal of stuffed animals and plastic dinosaurs! Goodbye, cruel world," Hope cried, unable to keep the slight laughter out of his words.

Lightning couldn't keep herself from smiling. It was the Hope effect. He had always had that way with her. And she wouldn't have it any other way. _I've really missed you, Hope._

* * *

The two entered Lightning's apartment and Hope dropped his bags onto the bed with a sigh. His room looked as it always did, barren except for some clothing, essentials, and the few knickknacks that he kept there. He'd half expected everything to be covered in dust and cobwebs seeing as how long he'd been gone. Instead, everything was clean as Serah had most likely been in his room, having usually been the one to tidy it while he was away.

Hope shoved over his luggage and dropped himself down on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. Many nights he'd spent staring at that ceiling, wishing that he could stay. New Palumpolum was far and he'd hated being away from his family. He loved the extra time with his father and they'd gotten much closer over the years, but it didn't fill the hole he felt within his being when he was away from his l'Cie friends.

A ringing in his pocket yanked Hope into action as he pulled his cell from his coat. "Hey, dad."

"You didn't call," Hope's father stated sternly. "What has always been the rule when you go out there?"

Rolling his eyes, Hope sat up as he grinned at his dad's paternal concern. "Would you give me a little time? Jeez, I just got here. I haven't even unpacked yet."

"You're supposed to-"

"Call the minute I get off the train. Yeah, I know." It wasn't just Hope that held serious worries since the purge. For Bartholomew, any separation from his son caused the man to become frantic. "Sorry, I was just so thrilled to get here and get off that damned contraption."

Bartholomew chuckled. "I suppose Lightning picked you up, as usual. How is she? Have you seen the gang yet?"

Standing, Hope began unpacking his bag as he held the phone between his shoulder and ear. As much as he wanted to relax, his nervous energy kept him far too twitchy to just sit. "Dad, I literally _just_ got here. I haven't had time to take off my shoes, let alone see everybody. And Lightning's good, just..." _That scar... Why didn't she tell me?_

"Just... what, Hope?"

"I-it's... nothing. Just been awhile, you know. I feel like I don't know how to act around her anymore. When did I become such a stranger?"

"Relax. You couldn't be a stranger to them if you tried. And you and Lightning are too close to let a little time get in the way. You'll fall back into normalcy in no time."

"Yeah, you're right. We'll see if I'll even get a chance to reach normalcy. Once Serah gets a hold of me, I think I'm done for." Hope chuckled as he slid his clothes into his dresser drawers. "She's gonna murder me."

"Speaking of homicidal women, have you spoken to Reina yet? She called a half hour ago to see if you'd called yet. Said you didn't pick up."

"Crap, I had my phone off during the ride! Man, I'm never going to survive," Hope whined.

"Not if you act like that," Bartholomew added with a laugh. "I'll send flowers to the funeral. Goodbye, Hope."

"See you in the next life, dad."

Lightning tapped her fingers against the kitchen counter as she leaned against it. She could hear Hope laughing in the next room and figured that he was on the phone. She sighed, looking at the clock. They were due at Serah's in a half hour. Her sister had planned a welcome back party for the kid and Lightning couldn't wait to get it over with. Another chuckle from down the hall caused Lightning's brow to rise. Hope sounded nervous. Footsteps echoed down the hall, heavier and more confident than what she was used to. His footfalls had always been so light and hesitant.

"Yeah, I'll call you later, Reina."

The name sent a jolt of possessiveness through Lightning and had her glaring at the floor. All she knew of the girl was her name and her association with Hope and Lightning already hated her guts. _What on Pulse is wrong with me?_

"Lots of worshiping when I get back, I know. I'm sorry." Hope turned to Lightning as he appeared from the hallway. He gave her a smile that looked far more like a grimace.

She watched as another wince was given as he turned away, muttering his love before turning off the phone. She, in turn, had to suppress a growl. Falling into her cool mask of indifference, Lightning spoke. "The girlfriend?"

He nodded sheepishly as he slipped his phone back into his pocket. "She's a bit peeved with me right now." Bouncing on the balls of his feet, Hope let Reina fall from his mind. He was in New Bodhum. He was in Lightning's house. He was home. A sense of tranquility settled inside him then as he beamed.

Lightning watched the man with amusement. _Always the odd character._ "Something to share?"

Hope shook his head as he locked his gaze with familiar azure orbs. "I'm back." Delighted couldn't even begin to cover the sheer joy that the young man felt at that moment. In New Palumpolum, he had his father, his girlfriend, his friends, his school, but it wasn't his home. His home was New Bodhum. His home was Serah and Snow, Sazh and Dajh, Dimitri and Chocolina. His home was his tiny little apartment that he shared with Lightning. Time couldn't change that.

Wiping the goofy grin off of his face, Hope cleared his throat, hoping he hadn't weirded Lightning out. "So, no family dinner this time?" Usually when he came to visit, Serah and Snow would be there, ready and waiting to welcome him back. _Maybe everyone is madder at me than I thought._

She surveyed him for a moment, a question about his call evaporating on her tongue. His rapturous glee was good to see. At least she could tell that he really did miss them. "We're due at Serah's in a bit. Don't forget your party hat."

Hope shifted to his other foot before calming. Lightning didn't look pleased, but he didn't expect her to be. Parties tended to put a damper on her mood. But Hope could see that more was bothering the soldier. Her rigid posture and obviously tightly wound nerves caused Hope to rest his hands on her shoulders and squeeze them lightly. "You okay, Light?"

She should have expected the question. The kid, no, he was a man now, could read her like the back of his own hand. Secrets were impossible to keep from him, but she would never allow him to know her current thoughts about him as his proximity and intoxicating scent drew her mind towards the unthinkable. She looked up at him through her frayed bangs and sighed. "You've gotten taller." Hope smirked and that cocky smile didn't seem to fit with her remembrance of a young Hope, but it definitely worked with the one that she seemed to desire. _No! Not Hope. The one man you will never touch is Hope. He's your protégé, your best friend. Gadot calls him your little brother, for Gods' sakes._ Lightning inwardly cringed. _Now I'm even more disgusted with myself._ But was this really her Hope? Could she possibly be attracted to the little boy who clung desperately to her side all those years ago? That little kid who could hardly manage to stay standing, let alone fight?

The traces of uneasiness to her gaze had Hope's grip tighten. "You know I'm still the same person, right? Yes, a little taller, a little older, a little more seasoned, but… still the same." Time had varying disorienting affects. His growth seemed to bother her and he could tell that that was the problem. Maybe he wasn't a total stranger. Reading her mind was still possible.

His heartfelt words pulled her back and she knew it was the truth. That young kid had grown into an incredible young man. And she'd grown to care for him as far more than a teacher or a friend. Lightning was attracted to Hope. And that scared her.

* * *

"Hope", Dimitri squealed as the new arrivals entered the house. The toddler ran over as fast as his little legs could manage and attached himself to Hope's leg, giggling. "Hope, Hope, Hope," he sang as he cuddled himself against the man.

Hope laughed at the impact and ran his hand through the curly pink locks atop the kid's head. "I'm surprised you remember me. How you been, little guy?"

"'Ome on, Hope. We gonna go pway with the wace cars!" Dimitri then ran off, little hands grabbing Dajh's shirt and tugging him back into his room to play.

"Hey, Dajh!" A muffled 'hi' was shouted back before the slam of a door, sealing Dajh's fate.

"The little devil's been runnin' Dajh ragged", commented Sazh as he came up beside the two and brought Hope in for a hug. "Heya, kid."

"Been a while, old man."

Sazh patted Hope on the back before he released him and gave a welcoming nod to Lightning. "You're telling me. Where ya been? I can't believe how much you've grown in just a year!"

Hope clicked his tongue at that. "Yeah, yeah. You're all just upset that you can't treat me like a scrawny bean pole, anymore." Hope walked forward a few steps, entering the living room from the entryway until a large, muscled arm arrested him around the neck and he found himself smothered in Snow's armpit.

"Can't treat ya like what now? You still seem a little scrawny to me." Snow guffawed as Hope struggled out of the burly man's grasp.

Hope fell to the floor, gasping for breath. "For the love of Etro, would you please not subject me to your armpit stench. I'd like to make it to dinner."

A scoff fell through the air as Snow put his hands on his hips, chest swelled up with pride. "That's a manly aroma, not that you'd know what that is."

Hope pouted and Lightning came to his defense as she helped him up off the floor. "Manly aroma, my ass. Ever heard of deodorant, Snow? It saves the rest of the world from such odors."

Snow just smirked. "Ouch, sis."

Lebreau then decided to make her presence known as she smacked Hope harshly on the back. "Well, look at you. Turned into quite the cutie, didn't you?"

"Hitting on Hope, Lebreau? How sad." Maqui shook his head, displaying his utter disapproval as he sipped a soda. "I thought you had better standards than that."

Hope opened his mouth, ready to knock the goggled man down a peg for his offense, when another arm came around his neck, pulling him to Yuj's side.

"I can't believe you're taller than me now. How did that happen?" The blunet grinned as Hope shoved him off.

Hope brushed off his shoulder while standing up straight, chin held high in the air. "It's called puberty, Yuj," Hope replied. "You two should try it sometime." Hope pointed at the two youngest NORA members and their jaws dropped. Lebreau began cackling and fell onto the couch, holding her stomach.

Maqui swallowed his drink harshly as he glowered. "Hey, ever heard of respecting your elders?"

"Please, Maq. You're only three years older than me."

Crossing his arms, a smug smile came to his lips. "Least I'm old enough to drink."

"'Cause we all wait to drink until the proper age," retorted Hope, his voice edged with sarcasm.

"What was that," inquired Lightning, sending him a frigid glare.

"Heh..." Hope bit his lip and hid behind Snow, sending her his puppy dog eyes from over the large man's shoulder. "It was just one time... or maybe three..."

Lightning rolled her eyes. "I thought your father was supposed to watch out for you in my absence."

"C'mon, sis, it's not like we all didn't have a sip or two before we were legal."

Lebreau stood up, tugging her shirt back down into place. "Be reasonable and pull that stick out of your ass for once, soldier."

Sharp eyes turned on the brunette. "Not all of us are as loose as you."

Lebreau raised a brow and snickered. "That's true," she admitted. "But at least I know how to have a good time."

Before anything else could be said, Serah entered the room, cheery and bubbly, as usual. "Everyone, put away the claws." A soothing hand rested on Lightning's upper arm as Serah gave her a bright smile. "No kicking butts today, Lightning."

"You look radiant, Serah." Hope came up to her and gasped as he was pulled into a hug, the girl's slender arms practically strangling him.

"Oh please, Hope. I'm big enough to have my own solar system."

Bellowing out a laugh, Snow came to Serah's side, putting an arm around his wife's shoulders as the two separated. "There's my little planet."

Serah snorted and crossed her arms, giving the man a scandalized look. "Oh, I'll just remember that when you want some of this li'l planet after the baby's born."

Lightning's stomach gave a lurch. "Stop. I'm not hearing anymore of that." She put a hand up to accentuate her point, not wanting to hear one more word of her sister's bedroom activities.

"Don't be such a prude, Light."

Lightning gave Snow a deathly look, but it was not her who fended his comment off.

"Watch it, Snow," warned Hope as he sat on the arm rest only to yelp as he was pulled back by Lebreau. The female fell, sprawled across his lap as she played with the collar of his shirt.

"Hey there, tiger," she whispered flirtatiously, biting back a laugh at the man's rose tinted cheeks.

"H-h-hi." Hope gulped as he attempted to scoot away from Lebreau and her fluttering eyelashes.

Gritting her teeth, Lightning walked over and jerked Hope away from the little minx, causing Lebreau to fall to the floor. She then tugged him into the kitchen, followed by a giggling Serah. "You'd think she'd at least stay away from taken men. And what was up with you?" She sent a smack to the back of Hope's head and watched as he cringed.

"Calm down," soothed Serah as she went over to continue mashing the potatoes. "She was just messing with him." Serah was highly amused at the whole situation. She should actually thank Lebreau. Seeing Lightning's protectiveness over Hope come out warmed her heart and showed just how much her sister cared for the young man.

"Why is everyone hitting me," Hope muttered with a whine. His voice cracked and his eyes widened as he covered his mouth in embarrassment.

The two women laughed at him and Lightning clutched onto his shoulder. "Some things never change."

"And some things drastically do," Serah continued with a proud gleam to her eye. She added another cup of sour cream to the mashed potatoes and stirred them in before handing them to Lightning. She then shooed her sister from the room, wanting to speak with Hope.

Lightning smirked at Hope's terrified expression and took her leave, leaving the room in a heavy silence.

Hope shrunk under Serah's intense gaze. The look was eerie on the younger sister. The resemblance between the two sisters had never been as striking as it was in that moment. The woman was going to murder him. Hope closed his eyes, sending out his prayers to whomever would listen. A hard thwack to the head had Hope's eyes burst open, his hand rubbing the abused spot. "Owwy..."

Serah stood with tears in her eyes. She was armed with her wooden spoon, her favorite weapon. "How dare you, Estheim," she screeched. "I can't believe you would let a whole year pass without a visit. _An entire freaking year!_ How could you be so heartless?! You never come and see us-see me. And y-y-you-you left Lightning alone. You p-promised me! You promised me that you would look out for my sister, you brat," she sobbed, sending another smack to Hope's arm. "I can't believe you would leave my sister alone! She's even more withdrawn than usual. How dare you!"

Hope drooped as he let Serah's rant continue. She was right. He let his new life shadow over his old one. His family had been pushed to the bottom of his priorities. How they could ever forgive him, he'd never know. Slender arms wrapped around him again, a swollen belly pushing against his abdomen and tears streaking down his shirt.

"And I'm so proud of you. You graduated! You graduated with such high honors." Serah pulled back from him, beaming at the bewildered teen. "You're going to a university, Hope! And look how big you are. That girlfriend of yours doesn't know how lucky she is to have such a strong, handsome, intelligent young man with such a good head on his shoulders and such a beautiful heart in his chest."

Hope smiled bashfully. "Stop it, Serah. You're making me blush." Serah was apparently very angry with him, but still proud. The serious reversal in her mood made his head spin. Though he was very grateful for the change. He hated letting people down. And when Serah yelled at you, you knew you messed up.

"If I weren't a married woman..." Serah giggled, unable to finish her sentence.

"You'd what," questioned Snow with a smug smile as he leaned against the kitchen entrance.

Serah gasped and peeked up through her bangs, mock guilt in her eyes. "Oh no, Hope. My love, he caught us. It's over."

Hope puffed out his chest and pulled Serah to his side. "It shall never be over. Thee fair maiden is mine," Hope declared, snickering as Serah pushed him away.

"You're such a goober."

* * *

"So he had to choose between his headset and me and the gearhead runs off screaming, 'No, not my Shira,' and I was left with my wounded pride and a broken heart. I got left for his electronics." Yuj laughed as he smacked the table, ignoring Maqui's puffed out cheeks.

"Last time Lebreau had her, she almost destroyed her."

Gadot shook his head at his younger friend's antics. "Your headset is not a woman, Maq."

"I've always wondered what you did with all those electronics of yours. Now I'm a bit disturbed." Snow chuckled, ducking a fork after Maqui chucked one at him.

"No flying cutlery, please," pleaded Serah, amused.

Hope smiled brightly at the scene. The dinner was quaint and the guests were all as rowdy as usual. Maybe time was just an illusion. All of the changes weren't as drastic as he thought. A year didn't cause him to drift farther from his family. If anything, it made Hope realize just how much he loved all of them. How much he dreaded the thought of leaving them.

Maqui stroked his headset as he whispered to it. "Don't listen to them, Shira. They don't understand you like I do."

Dajh's face scrunched up in confusion. "You gave your headset a name? What are you? Five?"

The whole table laughed at that one. "He's got ya there," replied Sazh.

"Aw, don't hurt the little guy's feelings. He's going to have lots of little gearheads with his little Shira, aren't you Maqui?" Lebreau smirked at his glower. "You'll never get a girl at this rate."

"You're one to talk. Who at this table has a significant other besides Gadot, Snow, Serah, and Hope?" When no one answered, Maqui sat back, triumphant. "That's right. So-" He stuck his tongue out before going back to eating, finished with his defense.

Lebreau swept her hair away from her face and turned to Hope. "That's right. Little Hope got himself a girlfriend. How is she?"

Hope finished chewing and swallowed his food harshly, blushing at the attention as everyone looked to him - all but Dimitri who was busy smashing his plastic pterodactyl into his green beans and Lightning who looked like she was trying to make the water in her glass boil with her intense stare. "She's good. She got accepted into the same university as me and she's… we're very happy."

Lightning felt her heart sink at Hope's words. The two were going to be spending even more time together once Hope returned home. _Who knows, maybe next time he visits, he'll be sporting a wedding band and a kid on his shoul_ \- No. She couldn't let her thoughts go there.

* * *

Lightning sank back into her couch and let herself relax. They were finally home and away from the chaos that was her family. She felt a dip in the couch as Hope sat beside her, soon cuddling into her side like a koala. "I'm going to kill Lebreau."

"It was just-" Hope shut his mouth quickly, covering it as he felt the urge to retch return. The storm in his stomach passed and he relaxed into Lightning again. "-one drink."

Lightning flinched as Hope laid his head in her lap and rubbed his cheek against her thigh. She growled and cursed the brunette for Hope's state, but let her fingers gently run through Hope's argentate locks. "It was her specialty, Hope. The Devil's Sin is designed to knock you off your ass. I should have stopped you."

Hope groaned. "I'm not a kid. If I want a drink, I'll have... a drink. Don't bubble wrap me, Light."

Lightning's eyes flitted across Hope's form. The man was clad a pair of cotton pajama pants, leaving his lightly toned upper torso bare before her. He really wasn't a kid anymore. _No, you are not._

Hope raised his hand to her face, caressing the marred skin of her scar. "Why didn't you tell me," he whispered, wounded.

Lightning took his hand in hers and brought it down. He gripped her hand, not letting go as his thumb ran soothingly over the back of it. "It wasn't a problem. There was no need to worry you."

"I always worry..." Hope drifted off, the alcohol setting in.

Lightning sighed and lifted herself up. She left and came back with a pillow and a blanket, knowing that she couldn't carry the young man to his bed anymore. After tucking him in, she retreated to her room. She hoped that a good night's sleep would help her with her new thoughts about Hope. Maybe it would help her come to her senses.

* * *

A knock on the door and a heavy throb to his skull awoke Hope from his slumber. He let out a light groan as his fingers gripped his skull, trying to get the world to stop spinning. Clouded and sleep-fogged eyes glimpsed the analog clock on the wall to see that it was three in the morning. With much effort, Hope stood and made his way over to the door. There was the beginning of a second knock before he came to face the stranger outside.

There stood a slender, well-built man that came to just an inch taller than Hope. He was clad in a Guardian Corps uniform with the same rank as Lightning shining on his pauldron. Long green hair was pulled back into a sloppy ponytail, giving way to a face with slight scruff and dark green eyes that held a sly gleam. A curious brow rose at the sight of a groggy, shirtless man standing in the sergeant's doorway.

Hope rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger, trying to get them to focus. _Should I get Light?_ The stranger waved a hand to dismiss the question, leading Hope to realize that he'd voiced his thoughts out loud.

The green-haired man grinned at the nickname. _She practically ripped my balls off for calling her that._ "Just tell her that Zael swung by. When she's done cradle robbing, I'm around." That was all before the man left, Hope still processing the man's words.

Hope's poor mind couldn't get his mental gears to shift right in his head, any meaning behind the man's visit lost. He heaved himself back onto his makeshift bed on the couch and made a mental note to tell Lightning in the morning. _Visitors at three a.m.? What's going on, Lightning?_


	3. Simple Happiness & the Clouds that Loom

Lightning jolted awake from her sleep, her heart still racing as her mind tried to register where she was. She was no longer on the plains of Pulse, battling off the sheer mass of monsters that had been looming just outside of New Bodhum. She was at home, in her apartment, in her bed. Safe and sound.

The roseate snorted at the thought and lifted herself up, getting out of bed in favor of slumping against the wall and staring into the mirror. Calloused hands grazed over the large mark on her face, the feature that had become normal just months ago. She had buried her insecurities about the offending scrape along with the incident that had caused it, so why was she dreaming about it now? Why was she remembering the ordeal vividly as she stood there, holding her jaw as if it had all of the answers?

The slight curse that rang outside of her door gave her her answer. Just the look Hope had given her when he had seen it had drudged up all of the withering grief, causing the memories to almost immediately resurface. She was grateful that he hadn't continued to pry into the issue. Though she knew it was only a matter of time.

With a sigh, Lightning walked out of her room just in time for a grumbling Hope to walk past her. He looked tired and weary as he rubbed his shoulder blade. It was either the couch or the hangover. She guessed it to be a combination. She nodded to him as he yawned and gave her a pained wave before he slipped into the bathroom.

Readjusting to Hope being there again was going to take some time. Not that she particularly minded. His presence just completely reinforced what she already knew. She was smitten with the young man.

Lightning's jaw clenched as she began to make coffee, her limbs tense with the effort to not throw the damn brewer against the wall. It was unacceptable. It had to stop. Hope was talented. He was intelligent. He was undeniably sweet. He was a _damn_ fine man now, but it had to stop. He was Hope. And Hope was off limits.

Maker, she needed coffee. Now.

Before the pot had even had a chance to fill halfway, Lightning tore it away from the machine violently and poured herself a quick cup, hissing as she spilt some along her arm.

Pain. Pain was good. It kept her mind from being too fogged and bogged down with useless thoughts.

She slammed the pot back in place and sipped at the mug, relishing in the burn that struggled its way down her uncooperative throat. Maybe she should spend some time training, take out her aggression on something other than herself and her appliances. That thought didn't remain long, because she knew that she was to spend her time off with Hope. She'd basically told him as much. Who knew what her schedule would be like when she returned to work. And it had been a very long time since he'd been back. Was she really going to waste that time? All because of a small crush?

"Heya, Light. Coffee already?"

Lightning had to suppress a shudder as his smooth voice caressed her eardrums. She blamed her lack of hold on her hormones on still being groggy from sleep. Which - even to her - sounded incredibly lame.

Okay, so maybe it wasn't such a small crush.

"I'm doing you a favor, really." Her tone came out as bland and bored as ever. Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad after all. "I'm much less likely to bite your head off if I've had my coffee."

Hope laughed as he sat himself down at the counter. "Any for me," he questioned as he perked up at the thought. At least he'd be more awake. Still in pain, but awake.

His light and breathy chuckle nearly had her squirm. _Fuck._ She was going to have to do something about her fixation. Judging on her current reactions to the teen, sooner would be preferable. _Maybe I just need to let out some steam. Keeping myself pent up has always been a problem._ Lightning glanced over his form warily, pretending to hide a smirk behind her cup. "I don't know... the caffeine and all..."

Hope's expression fell into a deadpan stare. "Right. Wouldn't want me to lose any growth," he replied sarcastically. He got up and got his own cup before returning to his spot. He stared down into the murky blackness of the stuff before sniffing it experimentally. His nose crinkled in response as he frowned, soon taking a hesitant sip. He instantly recoiled. Even if it hadn't been hot enough to burn off his taste buds, he was pretty sure that the coffee was strong enough to do the trick anyway. _Adamantoise milk had a better taste._ Hell, he'd even take battery acid.

The soldier's smirk only deepened. "How's the hangover?"

"Subsiding." _Slightly._ "I, uh... guess I shouldn't have drank that. Lebreau's stuff really packed a punch," Hope admitted into his cup as he went to take a mindless sip. He remembered himself only a moment later and grimaced, setting the gunk down and scooting it away from himself.

Lightning shrugged. "Not like you had much of a choice. Lebreau practically poured it down your throat."

The cloud of death that loomed over Lightning had Hope smiling. Lebreau would be in for some trouble. "Chill, Light. She was only trying to make me loosen up. Of course, I could have done without the shameless flirting and ass pinching. But I think at that point, it was just to get a rise out of you." Hope smirked as Lightning sent him a glare. Her overprotective ways were always humorous, if not a little frightening for others. It comforted him to know that she still cared so much about him.

_A rise, indeed._ That was where she should take out her anger. She could easily lay the skimpily dressed brunette out. But where was the fun in that? _I should just call Z-_

"Oh, I almost forgot. Someone came by for you last night. His name was... Zane... I think." Hope scratched at his forearm as he looked down upon the counter, thinking. It was all kind of a blur.

Her stomach dropped. _Please tell me he's not talking about-_

"Zael! That's the name," he exclaimed in mild triumph. "He said something about calling him and robbing something..." Hope blinked at the obscurity of that last thought. "I know that sounds weird, but it was really early, like three in the morning early, and..."

Lightning wasn't paying attention anymore. She felt her anger spike and her blood boil. _That pompous, jerk off, ass hole. I swear I told him to stay the fuck away from my place._ The urge to go and tear Zael a new one subsided as she considered the rambling young man before her. She was supposed to spend the day with Hope. She _wanted_ to spend the day with Hope. The moronic soldier could wait.

"He's a fellow officer. I asked him to bring over some paperwork about a mission. Guess it took him a while to find." Lightning walked over to the fridge, hoping the teen would believe her small bluff. "Want something for breakfast?"

Hope quirked a brow at her explanation, shaking his head at the offer. "Nah, I'm not really feeling food right now, you know?" His stomach flipped at the mere suggestion.

"Toast, then. You need something in your system."

Hope could only chuckle as Lightning began to fix him some food. The woman always made it her priority to look after him in any way possible. "What kind of mission? Must have been pretty important to bring it by so early... or so late..." The man's sneering face flashed through the silveret's head, sending off an alarm. But maybe he was just imagining things. He had been quite out of it. "And you guys must be pretty close for him to bring it to your house." _Wait a minute..._ As the words kept tumbling out of his mouth, he gradually became more uneasy.

While lightly buttering the toast, Lightning's grip tightened on the knife. _Why can't he let it go? Why does he always have to be so damn curious?_

_It's that investigative nature you love so much, remember?_

_Yeah, but it's biting me in the ass right now._ A small crunch jolted the young woman out of her thoughts. She'd apparently been too harsh in her task as the knife had cut right through one of the slices.

"Everything alright?"

_I reiterate - Fuck._ "Yeah," she quickly replied, covering her mistake by slicing the two pieces of toast diagonally and presenting them to Hope, ignoring his quirked brow. She then settled back into her seat to address her guest's _wonderfully_ intrusive questions. "I wanted to stay up to date while I was off. It was just a file about what I was missing. He was paying off some debt he owed me, that's all." _And now he owes me an even bigger favor, that moron._ "Any more questions you wanna ask", she deadpanned.

"Nope," he responded innocently as he nibbled at his toast. "So, what ya wanna do?"

Sipping from her cup, Lightning merely gave him a bland glance. He knew better than to ask that question. "You have anything in mind? It's your vacation, after all."

Chewing his food thoughtfully, Hope gave a glance outside. "Well, I was thinking of heading to the beach. It's been forever. But the weather doesn't look particularly inviting, does it?"

Lightning gave a laugh. It was true. It was absolutely sweltering outside. The only thing saving them from the humid summer heat of New Bodhum was Lightning's air conditioner that hummed in the background.

"Yeah, I thought not. How do you even work when it's like this?"

"I'm pretty used to it by now, Hope. Bodhum wasn't much better."

The teen rubbed the back of his head. "Heh, well I'm used to seventy being the hottest back in town. I'm pretty sure I'll melt if I go out there today. Is it supposed to be like this all summer?"

Lightning gave him a pat on the shoulder as she stood up. "Wouldn't want those fare features of yours to turn scarlet and crisp, would we, Snow White?" Hope gave an indignant huff. "It'll fluctuate throughout the summer, don't worry."

"I told you that in confidence. How could you betray me, Light," asked Hope as he dramatically draped himself over the chair, defeated.

"What? No one's here. And it's too hilarious to let it sit in the recesses of my mind."

He only pouted further. "I was teased mercilessly with that nickname. It was bad enough that they took my clothes during gym class and replaced them with a Snow White costume, wig included."

Lightning snorted and tried hard to not think about it any further. That image of Hope was just too much. "Alright, alright. C'mon, you wanna laze around all day, be my guest. I think I have that system around here somewhere..."

Hope instantly perked up, his whole body jolting back up, traumatic past forgotten. "Do you still have it?"

"Yup. Your stupid game's been floating around here too."

"It's not a stupid game, Light," Hope groaned. "Ultimate Illusion Sixteen is the most _amazing_ RPG to ever exist."

"I just don't understand why they had to make sixteen of them. Couldn't they just get it right the first time?"

Giving an agitated sigh, Hope resigned himself to letting the argument drop off, as he usually did. He would just have to keep his fangirling to a minimum. "Whatever, it's been a millennium since I played. I'm probably a little rusty by now..."

"Give your excuses. I'm still gonna beat your ass." Lightning and Hope's determined eyes met. And it was on.

* * *

After many hours of agony and being beaten like a chump, Hope slunk down into a pitiful puddle on the floor, muttering to himself. "Stupid Lightning beating me at _my_ favorite game. So mean to me."

With a highly amused smirk, Lightning shut down the system. "Quit being such a baby." She chose to ignore his pout as she stood, kicking his foot lightly to get his attention. "We should have some lunch."

Hope's stomach chose to growl loudly at the suggestion. The teen at Lightning's feet gave his controller a yearning look before reluctantly setting it down. "I _will_ avenge my men. The Rose-Haired Phantom's legion will fall," he declared, picking himself up.

"It's nice that you're so confident."

Hope frowned. She didn't take him seriously in the least. He flopped onto the couch, watching Lightning open her fridge. As she began rooting through it, a call pulled Hope's attention to Lightning's cell on the side table beside him. He gave it a glance. "Serah's calling."

"Get it," she stated more than asked as she perused her refrigerator for anything edible. She lifted up a left over container lid, grimacing as a batch of currently growing stir-fry stared back at her. The only other items within the appliance was a half-gallon of milk with a questionable expiration and a container of yogurt that had probably been sitting in the back of her fridge since Hope had last visited. _He's the only one that likes it..._

"Lightning, Serah wants to know if we want to have lunch."

The woman in question gave the back of the couch a quirked brow, seeing as the speaker was lounging out of sight. _We just had dinner last night... and that was a headache and a half._ "Just her?"

"And Dimitri, too."

_My nephew can be a handful, but without the big lug there things will be quieter at least. Besides..._ Cerulean orbs gave the fridge one last glance before she shoved the stir-fry back in and slammed the door. _I should have gone shopping before he arrived._ "Why not?" _The humidity has died down, anyway._ Hope gave Serah a rushed reply, his expression seeming both eager and disappointed at the same time. The contradiction was slightly baffling to the young woman, but she gave it little thought as she swept up her keys by the door.

"She said to meet up at Breezy Diner in fifteen. Is it new? I've never heard of it before."

Lightning blew her bangs from her eyes with an annoyed puff of air. "Yup, as of a few weeks ago. Serah's on this kick to try a new place whenever we go out. Says it gives life some variety."

Hope bit his lip in a chuckle. "That's kind of sad."

"Especially when I have to pay for it. Last time she took us to this place that served only kale based products. I couldn't even wash out the taste of the food with my drink. It was made with kale, too."

Hope laughed as they walked out the door, Lightning locking it behind them. "Why do I get the feeling that I'm going to end up with food poisoning after this?"

"That was the place before last..."

* * *

Dimitri ran at them as they approached. The minute they stepped onto the sidewalk, the child had locked his arms firmly around Hope's leg. "Hope, Hope, Hope."

"Yeah, that'd be me," he responded with a grin as he extracted himself from the grip. "Heya, little man. Keeping your mom busy, I see." Dimitri giggled as the silveret bent down to his level and ruffled his hair.

Serah ran up to the couple, her eyes wide with panic and her chest heaving. "I swear he was right beside me." She stopped, doubling over and gulping in a breath, her hand over her enlarged stomach. "Dimitri, what have I told you about running off? You gave mama a serious fright."

"We got him, Serah." Picking up the still giggling troublemaker, Hope set him on his shoulders. "But that wasn't very safe, Dimitri. You could have been hurt or..." Hope gave him a stern look, broken by his amused smile. "You could have been dragged off by one of the giant pterodactyls and eaten by its babies," he exclaimed, poking Dimitri in the tummy.

"Hope! Don't tell him that," scolded Serah.

"Wet's go! Wet's go! I wanna fwy! Wet's get eated!" Dimitri bounced with excitement on Hope's shoulders.

Sarah blanched at the exclamation before turning to look heatedly at Hope's sheepish face. "I-"

"Sorry, Serah." Lightning plucked Dimitri from the man's shoulders and gave Hope a good slap to the back of his head. "His stupidity can outweigh Snow's sometimes, I swear."

"Hey! How was I supposed to know he'd actually want to get eaten by a dinosaur?"

The pouting man was ignored as the two sisters huffed and walked to the restaurant entrance, Dimitri calling out to him from Lightning's arms. "'Ome on, Hope!"

Giving a sigh, he jogged up to them, giving the child a poke to the ribs in retaliation for the cold shoulders. "So, what's so special about this place?"

"Welcome to Breezy Diner. Thank you for floating on in. How many soaring spirits are we meeting today?"

_Honestly, couldn't we go anywhere normal, for once?_ "Three adults and one demon spawn," the soldier replied as Dimitri attempted to strangle her with her own necklace. She couldn't figure out if he was doing it purposely or if it was just a bonus in trying to swipe the pretty shiny thing dangling near his face.

"Lightning!"

"Like he knows what it means, Serah," spoke Hope. "Right, Dimitri? You're a demon spawn, huh? An awesome, rainbow colored, chocolate flavored demon spawn."

"What are you teaching my child?"

"Mmmm chocate! I wanna chocate, mama!"

Lightning couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips as her nephew was stolen from her arms and hoisted into the air by Hope. Dimitri continued to laugh and plead for chocolate while Hope spun him around.

By the time they managed to make it to a table, Hope was only slightly dizzy. At least that's what he told himself as he clumsily strapped the boy into his booster seat. Dimitri tugged mercilessly at Hope's hair until the silveret managed to escape his grasp and take up residence at Lightning's side with a tired laugh. "Definitely a demon," he commented as he smoothed his errant strands back into place.

"This can be interpreted as bullying, you know?" Despite her words, Serah's eyes shined with happiness and joy as they focused on the teen before her. Hope was always so sweet with her son and he seemed to know just how to handle him. _He'd be a great father, no doubt. Now if only..._ Serah's eyes shifted to Lightning. The ease on her sister's features caused her to relax into her seat even more. She knew Hope's presence would do wonders within the bleak and lonely apartment of the eldest Farron, and even more so within Lightning's steel-guarded heart. She could trust that Lightning was now in good hands.

Lighnting sat back as Hope and Serah chatted and bantered back and forth. Her eyes took in the restaurant's decor and layout. The style of the place was simple, yet elegant. Being the beautiful day that it was, the windows were all open, sheer, white curtains billowing gently with the light breeze. The cool air graced her skin, despite the heat awaiting outside. The dark wood tables were all covered with light cloths and simple items typical of diners were left in the middle. The decor was refined, yet family friendly.

There were two floors with the second floor being the dining area. Below them was what appeared to be a dance floor. The soothing and smooth music flowed through the speakers of the restaurant and carried down to the few couples that were dancing below. The place seemed very easy going and had a relaxed atmosphere. Though it was quite busy and becoming crowded with the lunch rush, all of the tables were nicely spread apart, giving everyone their due space.

"What are you getting, Light?"

The distracted question pulled Lightning's attention to the menu. Scanning over all of the items that were not-so-wittily named anything air, flying, or wind related, she tried to find something that wouldn't traumatize her like the last few times she'd naively chosen a dish that was seemingly safe. Although, this diner seemed harmless enough, even though it really didn't have a diner feel to it at all. "Sky High Pancakes, huh? I think they may be over selling those."

"Maybe, but I heard they're stacked to at least two feet tall," exclaimed Serah, obviously impressed. "It sounds pretty neat, but even though baby girl, here," she patted her stomach proudly, "can make me eat like a starved whale, I'm pretty sure I couldn't put all of that away."

"I'm sure Snow or Gadot would have no problem." Hope smirked, ignoring the eye roll of Serah.

"Pretty sure Lebreau would be having two orders with a side of wings with her appetite," commented Lightning offhandedly.

Hope blinked owlishly. "Seriously?"

Serah could only agree. She'd seen the girl eat. Hell, she'd cooked for the woman and Lebreau could rival her husband on his best day. "Don't be fooled, Hope. Her tiny body houses an insatiable appetite. If you hadn't noticed, she had like five servings of everything last night."

"But she was complaining about being hungry when we left an hour after dinner."

"Exactly."

A bouncy server chose to walk up at that point. She had a tan petite frame garbed in tiny black shorts and a white short-sleeve button down that was slightly ruffled. Her curly blonde hair fell to her jaw line, bangs falling just shy of her bright blue eyes. Her expression seemed to exude friendliness and eagerness. The perky smile on her lips faltered as her gaze caught the man at their table. "Oh my goddess. No way! Hope, is that you?!"

Hope's attention was diverted from the menu at the apparent shock of the waitress. With one glance, Hope found that he really did know their server. "Alyssa? I didn't know you lived around here?"

The girl gave a squeal of delight as she bounced over to Hope's side and gave him a hug, her smile broadening. "Yeah. Did you move here?"

"Nah, just visiting family. I thought you lived out in New Jessyl?"

"I did, but as soon as I graduated I moved out here. I worked at the diner there and they were able to transfer me to this one."

"Why New Bodhum?"

Alyssa began bouncing on her heels, her fingers tapping rhythmically on her notepad. "It was the closest I could get to the Academy. You know I always wanted to go there. And guess what. I got in!"

Hope's smile grew as he gave her a congratulatory hug. "That's amazing. Congrats."

"Oh, hush. I'm sure you got in, too."

"Um," Serah interjected politely, "who's your friend, Hope?"

"Oh, darn, I'm so sorry. That was unprofessional of me."

Hope waved her apologies off. "It was my fault, really. Alyssa, this is Lightning, Serah, and Dimitri. Basically my other family."

A flash of remembrance passed over the girl's features. "So this is some of the l'Cie family Hope talks about so much." Hope gave a bashful nod. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I find what happened between you all and the fal'Cie so fascinating. And thank you for your service and sacrifice in saving us all. You most definitely don't get enough gratitude, I'm sure." Her gaze cast down to Dimitri as she finished bowing to the table's occupants. "Aren't you adorable?"

"And, guys, this is Alyssa Zaidelle. She was on the debate team of a rival school. We met quite often."

"Not often enough. Those were good times. Anyway," she jumped up into a more suitable position and opened her small handbook. "We'll have to catch up later. What are we having today?"

* * *

Lightning watched with subdued interest as Hope and Alyssa spoke off in a corner of the dance floor. The chirpy girl was on her break and had wanted to catch up and trade numbers. Serah and Dimitri were out on the floor, Serah slowly drifting to the music with Dimitri in her arms and cuddled up as close to her side as her baby-filled stomach would allow. Not wanting to make a fool of herself dancing in the middle of a restaurant, the soldier stood on the opposite side of the floor as Hope and Alyssa, her arms crossed and her back against the wall.

She watched as Hope and Alyssa chatted amiably, Hope's face lighting up as he spoke. Despite the short briefing of the duo's past, Lightning wasn't satisfied. The two looked a lot closer than a previous 'school friendship' would imply. Watching them talk with such enthusiasm and happiness, it was like seeing two best friends reuniting after years of separation.

Lightning's cell went off at that moment, the vibration alerting her of a call. She checked the small device and scoffed in distaste at the name flashing on her screen. Instead of ignoring the man like she knew she should, she answered, wanting to give him a piece of her mind. "You have some nerve-"

"Farron-"

"No, you don't get to show up at my house in the middle of the night like it's nothing. I don't remember giving you permission to come anywhere near my place, ass hole. And if you ever happen to even glance at my house again, dipshit, you'll be swallowing a bullet, got it?"

"Past the pleasantries, eh? How professional."

"Dammit, Zael. I asked if you-"

"Yeah, yeah, I got it. What's got your panties in such a twist on this fine day, darlin'?"

"Don't even start with me."

A long sigh came over the line before the man gave a breathy chuckle. "You don't make anything easy, do you, Sergeant? I actually came by for a bit of business, thank you. The pleasure was to come after..."

Lightning gave an eye roll. "Three in the morning is a hell of a time for business. Is it important?"

"Yes, it is a hell of a time for business. It's a hell of a time for a half-naked brat to be answering your door, too. I always knew you had it in you, you cougar."

"Don't. Don't you dare talk about Hope. It-"

"Ah, so that's the famous runt of the l'Cie bunch. Interesting."

Lightning bit back a seething retort as her sister and nephew came within earshot. The last thing she needed was Zael becoming interested in Hope. If the two ever got acquainted... She knew how dangerous Zael could be. She didn't want the soldier anywhere near him. "Is it important," she reiterated, wanting to get off the phone as soon as possible.

"Would I risk my neck otherwise?"

"Probably."

"Hmph. You know me too well. Yeah, it's... We gotta talk, Lightning..."

The seriousness of the man's tone snapped Lightning back from her fury. It was slightly alarming how earnest and somber that statement was. Giving it some thought, the roseate found she may have jumped to a conclusion that was completely off base. Maybe the man hadn't just been screwing around with her as he'd been known to do. Zael had never shown up at her house before. He had never called her during a shift either. _Must be pretty severe..._ "The training room. Usual time." Lightning quickly ended the call. Either Zael would be there, or it wasn't as important as he implied.

Hope walked up to her then, his head cocked in confusion as she gripped her device tight. "Everything good?"

"Yup. You?"

"Yeah. It was really good to see her again," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's good to talk to someone who loves science as much as I do, you know? She may look like a ditz and act a little like one too, but she's actually a true intellectual. I always enjoyed speaking with her outside of our debates, especially about space-time continuum anomalies and temporal rifts."

Lightning nodded, though she didn't know what either of those were. Over the years, whenever Hope fell into one of his scientific rants, she'd usually just humor him as he droned on. Although she didn't have a personal interest in anything related to science, she admired Hope's drive and deep affection for it. He was also kind of adorable when he would babble about it. "She seemed to parry your excitement well with her own."

"Heh, you noticed, huh? We kind of nerd out at the expense of everyone around us."

"Dorks."

Hope tilted his head back in laughter and put his arm around Lightning's shoulder jovially, giving her a half hug. "You love it, don't deny."

Lightning swallowed heavily, but kept up appearances well. She could have kissed her sister's feet in gratitude when she interrupted, walking up with heavy steps and an air of exhaustion around her.

"Man, am I wiped. Baby girl just started kicking away."

"Sis kicked me in da tummy wit' mama's whawe bewy," cried Dimitri as he stood beside Serah, his hand clenching hers.

"Whale belly?" Sarah pouted at Dimitri's choice of words, miffed at the looks of amusement crossing Lightning's and Hope's faces. "We're going to catch a cab home. See you guys soon. I'll call you later, Sis."

Hope and Lightning waved them off and said their goodbyes. They paid for their meal as they headed out of the place, Hope whining about Lightning hogging the bill. "Seriously, I can pay for myself. I'm an adult now."

"Really? I couldn't tell," she commented as they crossed the street.

"Psh, got my big boy pants and everything," he retorted with a grin. "Are we going to get groceries? 'Cause I can totally pay for those then."

Lightning looked at him from the corner of her eye, poker face in play. "I don't know what you're talking about. I have food."

"You have food like I have a collection of frilly, fuchsia-colored dresses. C'mon, I know you. You forgot to stock up on supplies."

"A collection of what?"

"So not the point."

"Oh, no, I think it's very much the point."

Hope deflated with a dramatic sigh. "Please? I don't want to starve. And I want pop tarts. No, I need pop tarts. Like now."

Hope's adamant, pleading face pushed her into submission. As if she would have said no in the first place. "Fine. But I'm paying, Estheim. Don't push it." A sly grin came to the man's face and Lightning didn't like the intention behind it.

"Not if I get there first." And Hope zoomed off into the nearest store, which happened to be the South Corner General Store that he had always had an affinity for in his younger years.

By the time Lightning trekked in after him, the supposed 'adult' had a cart of six boxes of strawberry pop tarts. "You do know we need to get actual food, right?"

The silveret gave a gasp. "How dare you insult my first love. And I thought you said we didn't need food? Hmmm?"

Lightning stepped back and pushed Hope away as he got uncomfortably close, though she snorted despite herself. "Doofus. Do you usually live on pop tarts alone?"

"Nah. They're just the one thing I know I have to have. Other food will come later. Now, let's mosey."

The next hour consisted of picking out a large haul of food on Hope's part and lots of eye rolling on Lightning's as she suffered through Hope's theatrics. Near the end of their shopping, the two had been deciding on clementines versus mandarins when she turned to find him missing. It was only two minutes of pondering that led her to the front of the store where Hope was already rushing through paying for their groceries.

She knew he was eccentric and stubborn, but damn was he sneaky too.

* * *

Their walk home was a lot quieter as they strode at an easy pace, both just appreciative of the other's company. Hope carried most of their goods, much to Lightning's chagrin. It was nice, comfortable, and Lightning found herself once again realizing just how much she'd missed Hope during this past year. In his most quiet and contemplative moments, and even in his dorky ones, she adored the younger man.

It was killing her.

In the periphery of her vision, her eyes scanned the serene teen beside her, taking notice of everything about him. The way his relaxed eyes and smile spoke of a heightened tranquility. The way the gentle breeze brushed through his hair, the strands shining in the ending rays of sunlight. The way his shirt clung to his form slightly from his sweat in the humid heat. It was incredibly agitating that he could cause such a stir inside of her and not even try.

"So, what's the Academy?" She really needed something to occupy her mind.

Hope blinked at the sudden question, turning his inquisitive expression towards his companion. "A research and higher education institute not too far from here. Why?"

"Just something your friend said. How she was sure you could've gotten in too." Hope turned his face away from her, his expression contemplative. That was a small red flag in her book. "What? Did you not get in?"

"Quite the contrary. I got an early acceptance and a full scholarship." Hope chuckled at Lightning's stun. "It's really no big deal."

"You thought Alyssa getting in was a big deal..."

Scrunching up his face in defeat, Hope gave. "Alright. It's a dream school for a science and technology major like me, okay? The research they do there... it's... it's... Maker, it's been my top choice since it was founded two years ago. The things they've already discovered about Pulse that we could have never even imagined up in Cocoon are amazing, Light! There was this particle teleportation device that a main Academy researcher was testing out with Pulsian soil and-"

"Whoa there, boy. Getting off topic."

Hope eased out of his excited babbling with a sheepish smile. "Sorry."

"Don't apologize, just explain. Why aren't you going? You _obviously_ want to."

"I'm just not sure if it's what I want anymore..."

This irked Lightning as she noted his insincerity and despair. Did he take her for a fool? She'd spent far too many years with him to not see through such a poorly concealed lie. "Not what you want? Or not what she wants?" Hope's lips parted slightly and his eyebrows rose. _Bingo..._

"I just... I'm just not as sure about my future as I used to be, you know? I think I should explore some options before making that kind of commitment. Who knows if the Academy or a career in science and technology is the right path for me?"

"Are those your words or the girlfriend's?" She appeared to be having a hard time saying her name.

Hope shook his head. "You don't get it." The young man chose to quicken his stride as they reached her block, nearly leaving Lightning in the dust. It was apparently a touchy subject with him, and she could imagine why.

He waited silently for her to return and unlock the door. Before he could make it inside, however, she stopped him with a firm hand on his forearm. "I may not get how tough this decision is for you, Hope, but I do know that you don't always get a second chance. I think you'll regret not following your dream. And I don't care if you think that you may want something else later. This is what you want right now, so you should take the opportunity." With that, she walked inside and began unloading the groceries into the refrigerator.

It was a good couple of minutes before Hope followed her in and pitched in on the chore. It was silent and Lightning felt about ready to choke on the tension, but at least he wasn't shutting himself in his room like the younger, moodier Hope used to do when they'd had a disagreement.

It was only after they'd finished with the sorting of the groceries that Hope came back out of his shell and pulled Lightning into a strong embrace. "Thank you," he murmured into her hair before giving her a swift kiss on the forehead and retreating into his room for the night.

Lightning was left standing there, flustered and confused as a smile tugged at her lips.


	4. What Strings Us Together, Hurts Us More

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all of the kudos and comments. Definitely motivated me to get this chapter out sooner. Hope you enjoy!

The training room in the Corps branch headquarters at three o'clock in the morning was unsurprisingly quiet and largely unpopulated. This made their arranged times of meeting seem coincidental, if they were to ever be noticed at all, that is. Lightning stood in the entrance by the elevator, watching Zael work the punching bag into submission. It looked exhausted and well on its way to falling into a heap on the floor, much unlike Zael who only looked revved up for more.

"You better be straight with me, Sergeant. I'm in no mood. So make this quick."

A lopsided smirk twisted his face as he let his eyes slip to her form in the doorway. He kept up his training, but his attention was on her. "Where have I heard that before?" Clad in only a pair of loose basketball shorts, Zael seemed to take out all of his aggression, all of his pent up rage, out on the sad piece of equipment with remarkable speed and strength. His long hair was in its usual pony tail, wisps of untied bangs sticking to his forehead as a light sheen of sweat dripped along his body.

Lightning straightened herself, her arms coming up as she crossed them before her. "Why do I even put up with you," she murmered, beyond agitated.

One last heavy blow sent the bag back into the wall with a loud smack. Sand began to slip from a new hole in the side as Zael steadied it.

"Aren't you tired of getting written up for breaking the equipment?"

His smirk only increased in severity. "I can't help it if I'm just too much for them to handle."

Lightning couldn't resist rolling her eyes.

"As for the answer to your first question, it's because you need me and you know it."

Gritting her teeth, Lightning burned her gaze into Zael. She didn't need anyone. Most certainly not a scumbag like him. Before she could properly react, however, she was stopped by the man as he unwrapped his hands and came in close.

"Because having us on your side ups your Pulsian relations by a hundred percent." He liked seeing her flustered, even if the moments were brief and the tells minute, it always brought him enjoyment. "You would be in the middle of another goddamn war if we weren't a part of your unit. And this time, I doubt your population would survive." Finding a sufficient amount of entertainment from the fury boiling just under the surface of the usually composed Farron girl, Zael grabbed a towel from the rack beside Lightning's hip and snapped it back to him. He rubbed it against his forehead and face before resting it around his shoulders as he took up residence on a bench.

Lightning fumed, but couldn't quite argue. Despite the casualties to the Pulsian population caused by the War of Transgression, they had been resilient and the population had grown back into relatively normal levels over the past five-hundred years. The Cocoon populace had landed right into their territory and, not wanting to stir up trouble in their time of rebuilding, they needed to keep themselves on good terms with the Pulsian people. Allowing soldiers from the Pulsian army into their ranks had been a practice of trust and gave hope for harmony. As for Zael, his expertise and strength were necessary and a true advantage for their troop. She just had to put up with his personality, which was a challenge in itself. She wasn't sure if the benefits of having him in her unit outweighed the costs to her mental state.

As if reading the fellow soldier's mind, Zael spoke. "I'm the most dependable Pulsian you can trust."

Now, of that, she wasn't so sure. "I don't trust you."

"Yeah, well, you still trust me more than any other Pulsian here. Hell, probably any other soldier here. So suck it up."

Unfortunately for her, he knew her too well. It was one of the things she hated about him. He knew just how to get under her skin and stay there. A wart with no remover. "You said this was important." The triumphant gleam within his sage irises dulled as a look of seriousness overcame him. He opened his mouth to speak, but sighed instead. It was long and drawn out, heavy with frustration and resignation. He tried again only for nothing to come. How was it that the man that always knew what to say was speechless? "Spit it out."

"This really isn't the place." Zael's eyes surveyed the room, his ears open for any possible eavesdroppers. "It's not safe here…"

Lightning scoffed. "No way. We're having this talk here. I'm not going-"

"They're investigating the incident," he shouted, unamused and impatient. He needed her to understand his necessity for privacy. His gaze immediately swept around the room, suspicions high.

She stood there, startled, but unmoving. _The incident…? He can't mean…_ There was no way. There had already been a thorough investigation. It had nearly torn her apart already. They couldn't just start it all up again. Shaking her head, Lightning refused to acknowledge his concern and turned to leave.

"Dammit, Lightning. You have to listen to me-"

"Why should I," she yelled, spinning back around to find him advancing on her. "They already probed into our lives, scrutinized every aspect about our work and found nothing. It's been closed. I don't know what game you're playing at, Zael, but I'm done with this conversation." Distraught with her partner's mind games, she continued on her way out only to be spun around and slammed back into a wall by a forceful hand on her shoulder.

"Shut up." She struggled, but Zael only pushed her back harder, attempting to restrain her from leaving. Lightning hit him hard against the cheek and then elbowed him in the stomach, successfully loosening his grip, but he came back at her and harshly pinned her wrists back against the wall of concrete. She sent a kick to his groin, unsurprised as he dodged her expertly. This was their usual dance. This was how they handled each other. It was always a fight. And they both knew how to end it.

Zael forced their lips together and kept himself there even as Lightning bit into his bottom lip. He continued kissing her until she finally gave in, allowing the kiss to deepen. When he felt her struggles end, the underlying rage shaking her limbs lessening, he broke away, though his hold remained. "Just shut up and listen to me," he spoke breathily, looking into her eyes that were filled with restrained hostility. There was hatred there, but something else completely opposite, too.

She spat in his face. "Fine, just say it." Truth was, she was deeply afraid of his coming words. If Zael was serious about this, she was going to be far from happy. Old wounds were about to reopen.

Giving a disgruntled growl, he let go, wiping the saliva off. "I talked with Akara," he continued quietly. "We were close when we were kids and we still see each other occasionally. Even though she works in the Inspection Division, old ties are hard to break."

The Inspection Division was in charge of keeping all soldiers in line and making sure that all of their work was carefully reviewed and cataloged. If a soldier ever did something dishonorable or questionable, it was their job to crack the whip and serve out an appropriate punishment. It was no surprise that the soldiers of the Corps and those of the Division didn't get along. They most certainly weren't very chummy.

"She said that there was some new evidence uncovered. She wouldn't tell me what it was, but she did say that it was enough to turn some heads."

Lightning's eyes flashed and she couldn't think straight. "Fuck. I thought this was over. They can't just dig everything up again." She couldn't go through it all again. She couldn't put her family through it again. She needed to know what was going on. But first, she needed to breathe.

Zael nodded, absently wiping at his now bleeding lip. He walked over to his clothes and snatched them up, collecting a cigarette from his pocket and lighting it up. "You get why we can't talk about this here, then?" He flicked his lighter closed and the metal clinked loudly, illuminating the silence surrounding them.

She had no choice, really.

The roseate clicked her tongue before swiping away his vice from his grip and taking a long drag. She began to walk away, the cigarette resting between her fingers. "Let's go."

* * *

It had been hours since he had been woken up by her call. Hope sat on his bed, his back to the wall as he listened to Reina speak about everything and anything she wished. He tried to focus on her words, but his mind kept wandering. It was always hard to merge his two worlds. When he was in Palumpolum, he kept himself there. When he was in Bodhum, his focus was there. It had only been a few days, but he was already in his Bodhum mindset. Speaking with Reina about his other life just seemed tiring.

"I miss you, you know?"

Hope snapped his thoughts back to their conversation just in time. "I miss you, too. It's only a month. I'll be back soon."

Reina hummed, but didn't seem satisfied. "As long as you're having fun. I know how much you love it there and how much you've missed your family out there. I just wish that it didn't take you so far away from me."

"So do I, but it's not so bad. We still get to talk constantly. And you'll be busy with your vacation, soon enough. You're still going with Trent and Breena and all them to the Canigan Highlands, right? Time will fly by." He added a few fake sniffs and a whine. "You'll forget all about your lonely boyfriend, in no time."

She let out a snort of amusement. "Yeah, right. You just want your girlfriend off your back so you can go skirt chasing. You're not getting rid of me that easily."

Hope gasped. "Why, I never! You basically just called me a man whore," he accused through his chuckles.

"Yup," she replied, unfazed. "Seriously, though… I really miss you. You think I could come out there with you, next time? I'd love to meet that little family of yours."

Hope let out a rough cough, oddly uncomfortable with the idea. "Uh, I don't see why not. They'd love to meet you too, I'm sure."

The brunette let out a squeal of delight. "Yes! I'm super excited already. Although, I won't know anyone else there."

"Eh. Alyssa moved here, apparently. So there's one more person."

"That blonde from the rival debate team? Sorry, hon, but she's your friend, not mine. We don't really get along."

"You said you wouldn't know anyone. It only had to be a person you knew, not a friend," he replied, grinning.

"Touché. Why is she out there, anyway?"

"She's, uh…" Hope hesitated, not wanting to get sucked into the same old talk again. "She's going to the Academy in the fall."

"…Oh."

Hope sighed. It had been a big subject for them when the two had decided that their relationship was serious. Reina had no want or desire to go to the Academy, nor did she want her boyfriend going to a college so far from her. So they had decided to go to the local university. It was still a top college considering how new their little civilization was, but it just seemed inadequate to Hope. He agreed with what Reina wanted. He'd even torn up his Academy application right in front of her to make her happy.

He just hadn't told her that he had sent in a new one the next day.

"Hope?"

"Huh?"

"You're mad, aren't you?"

Hope absently shook his head as a small smile came to his lips. "No, I'm not mad. Why would I be mad? I get to go to college with you. I get to be with you all the time soon."

"But… it was your dream to go there…"

He really didn't wish to talk about this. "Reina, it's fine."

"Okay." Her tone immediately brightened. "I've been looking at apartments, you know? I figured that since there's limited space in the dorms and they cost so much, anyway, we might as well just live off campus. It's a bit far to drive to and from home too, so it seems like the best option…"

Hope continued to listen to her words until telling signs of the approaching morning began to slip through the window. He fell asleep to her voice.

* * *

Zael carded a hand through her hair before it fell to her cheek, running along smooth skin until his fingers met the ridge of her scar. In his memory, he could see it stitched shut, his partner laid up in the hospital bed. He could see her cheek freshly split open, his hand covered in the blood of her wounds as he tried to radio in some assistance. He could see it completely clear, clean of any marks just before they'd landed. He regretted his choices, and he knew that Lightning regretted her own even more.

Lightning slapped his hand away as she retreated from his side, slipping out from under the covers. He watched her dress, frowning as she readied to leave. "We got a little distracted."

His comment halted her. She watched as he sat up against the headboard, black sheets pooled at his waist. Lightning hated waking up here, knowing that her basest desires and her own self-loathing led her into his bed every time. The room stank of ash and smoke and their previous activities. She hated it. Every time.

"Besides, where's my morning kiss?"

"Up yours," she replied before walking out of his bedroom and into the kitchen. She poured herself a cup of day old coffee, uncaring of the cold staleness and the way her hands nearly shook. Clad in his boxers, Zael came up beside her and fixed himself a cup as well. They sipped in silence for a few moments. "You still make awful coffee."

"Sorry if I don't like my hair standing on end." He chuckled before turning to her, finding the same usual sight of her glaring down into her mug. "How are we going to handle this?" He ran his hand gently down her arm before she stepped away.

"You think your little Division friend's going to give anything else up?"

"She said about all she could say. She loves her job too much to tell me anything more." His fingers tapped on the handle, restless. "Though she did say one other thing. That a person in one of the higher branches would be taking care of it. Garrison, I believe the name was."

Lightning's eyes narrowed as her hold on her cup tightened. The name was a bit too familiar for her liking.

Zael caught the action. He always did. "You know him?"

"In another life." She put her cup in the sink and walked to the door. "If it's the Garrison I remember, _she_ won't be an easy one to shoo away."

* * *

Hope peeled his cell off of his face as he sat up, scratching at the new indentations on his cheek. He had been on the phone with Reina, but when had he hung up?

He hung his head as he realized that he'd fallen asleep on her. _Shit, she_ hates _it when I do that._ Sending her a quick apology text, Hope got out of bed, the creaking of the mattress matching the creaking of his sore muscles. He really should have slept in a better position…

Glancing at the time, Hope recognized it to be late morning and went to check if his housemate was up. Lightning wasn't one to sleep in, she hardly slept much as it was, so he expected she'd be up and about anyway. What he didn't expect was an empty house. _Lightning left already? But… where'd she go?_

It wasn't any of his business, but he was almost insatiably curious. Before he had even fully processed his brain's request, his fingers were dialing her number on his cell. It went directly to voicemail and Hope found himself gaping at his phone. It wasn't a new thing, being directed to Lightning's automated voice lady before getting even one ring in. There had been a few times over the years that Lightning had had to shut off her phone. Important meetings and business were generally her go to words when she would eventually get back to him.

But she was off work… _So what gives?_

Hope's thoughts raced as he turned over the possibilities. He remembered her saying something about getting an update from that Zael guy. Maybe she was talking to him? Maybe there was something extremely important that called for her attention at G.C. Headquarters? Was everything alright? Was _she_ going to be alright?

Settling himself down, Hope shook off his worry. He wasn't going to let himself do this again. He'd been through too many panic attacks over the past few years worrying over Lightning and the possible risks she could be facing on the job. It was one of the reasons he had turned to studying so hard and so frequently. That and his lingering depression that stemmed from his solitude from his l'Cie family.

Lightning was fine. She had her reasons for cutting herself off from her phone. And he respected them. While he didn't particularly like her job, he respected it, and knew that Lightning had grown to love her job as a soldier. She was okay. He knew she could handle herself, better than any other soldier he knew.

Although, he really wished that her responsibilities could have given her a break, at least over the rest of her vacation days. Hope wasn't naïve; He knew that he wasn't going to get to see her much over his stay in Bodhum, so he cherished the little time he was allowed.

Hope sat unhappily on the couch while he munched on one of his beloved strawberry Pop Tarts. The news droned on in front of him, bits and pieces of stories flashing by before the audience had time to really process them. Hope's knee bounced steadily, his eyes flitting from his cell that was perched on the arm of the couch, to the door, to the television, and then back to repeat the cycle. He was becoming increasingly wound up. No matter how much rationality he threw at his nerves, his body wouldn't listen.

The sudden shriek of the house phone had Hope jolting out of his seat, half falling over the couch as he tripped on the frayed edges of his well-worn pants. The obnoxious ringing continued as Hope flailed to get to it. He silently resolved to change Lightning's ringer to something a little more soothing later. Uncaring towards the flashing name on the caller ID, Hope answered, somewhat out of breath after his brief exercise in gymnastics.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Hope. Do you know where Lightning is?"

He found his shoulders slumping as he was met with Sazh's voice over the line. Of course it wasn't Lightning. He gave an unsteady laugh at himself.

"I tried callin' her cell, but she must have it off or somethin'. She around?"

"Nope. I don't know where she is, actually. She was gone when I got up."

Sazh chuckled. "No surprise. I'm sure a young'un like you is still in his PJs, watchin' cartoons and eatin' some sugary breakfast cereal that would give me diabetes."

Hope frowned, glancing down at his overly large long-sleeve shirt and flannel pajama pants. "I'm watching the news and eating a Pop Tart, thank you very much. We _young'uns_ don't eat cereal anymore. Keep up, old man."

"Anyway," Sazh continued, the grin obvious in his voice. "I was gonna ask her somethin', so if- y'know what? I'm just gonna ask you. Do ya think you could watch Dajh for me tomorrow night?"

"Me?!"

"Don't sound so shocked. Despite my earlier comment, you're a grown man now. I'm sure ya could watch a nine year old jus' fine. And Dajh has always been fond of you."

"But-what-I-" Hope stopped sputtering and calmed down. He really needed to take up meditation or something. "I've, uh, never babysat before."

"He's hardly a baby. Dajh just needs someone to watch him, is all, really."

Then something clicked in Hope's head. "Wait, does this mean Lightning babysits for you? Like, on a regular basis?" That was nearly laughable. He knew Lightning really didn't care for kids much. At all. But he supposed that Dajh was different. In the same way she could handle Dimitri, she could handle Dajh. He was family.

"Yeah, I don't wanna bother Serah. That son o'there's enough of a handful. Plus, she's got another on the way and it just seems wrong. So on the times I need him watched, I generally see if Lightning's available. Although, it's been a while since I asked."

"Huh. Where are you going?"

"Just a meeting, no big deal."

Did Sazh sound a little too indifferent towards it? Yeah, he kind of did.

"I could just drop him off over there, so you don't gotta come here. And there would be gil involved. The kids are still into that these days, right?"

Hope rolled his eyes. "I don't need monetary compensation, Sazh. What time?"

"Seven."

"Little late for a meeting, huh? What kind of meeting would you even be going to then? You're a pilot." The teen let out a chuckle. "Is it like a group thing? Is it a club? Are you in a pilot's club, Sazh?" Hope was outright laughing now. "Is it like the Flyin' in your Forties Club and you all sit around and drink and talk about the good ol' days?" A sigh fell through the line and Hope smirked. "Or is it an appointment? I know specialists meet kind of late sometimes. You aren't dying or anything, are you?"

"When did you get so nosy?"

"Eh, I'm bored. I get especially curious and speculative when I'm bored."

"Well, speculate all ya want. I'll bring him over then. Thank you, Hope."

"Are you going on a da—" Hope laughed as he got a dead tone in response. Setting the phone down onto the receiver, Hope heard keys jingling against the door and the lock clicking open.

Lightning shuffled in, shutting and locking the door behind her. She remained there, her hand stuck to the door knob as she rested her forehead against the door. How was she supposed to receive this kind of news? She couldn't handle snoopy investigators nosing around her house and digging into her life again. _Oh, Maker. Hope. How am I supposed to keep him out of this?_ The last thing she needed was them getting him involved.

He had been in Palumpolum during the initial investigation, safely tucked away from their prying eyes and vicious talons. She couldn't let him be dragged down with her. Not him. Not her family. Sarah's expression last time had nearly crushed her. She couldn't bear Hope's.

Lightning sunk down to her knees at the door, wondering if she could find the words, the memories, of that day's events and tell everyone the truth. The lies burned her like the scar on her cheek, but she had done nothing wrong. It was a mantra that ran through her mind to keep her intact. A mantra that Zael would whisper to her on the nights where she couldn't pull herself together, when she'd be curled up in his arms, her mistakes and regrets bleeding into every cry. She had done nothing wrong. Her sins were many, but of this, she was sure. This was necessary.

"Lightning…?"

Jolting away from the door, the roseate came to face Hope. He was visibly stunned stiff, and she could imagine why. She had shown too much of herself in such a brief amount of time with so little intention. Before she could bring herself to move, an uncertain understanding seemed to relax his limbs as he slowly made his way over to her. Cautious, as if he were approaching a startled animal.

Although, that was what she was, right? An animal that was being backed into a corner, soon to be exterminated for its crimes.

Hope crouched down, completely unsure as to how to handle the situation. "Light, are you alright?" He was startled by how accepting she was of his touch as he cupped her face, thumb wiping away a stray tear. Hope had never seen her cry, and while one tear was far from crying, there was a vacancy in her eyes and a resignation in her expression that broke him all the same. "You want to tell me what's up?" His eyes scanned her form, seeing no physical wounds. "Light?"

This brought realization back to her blue orbs, a sign of complete mortification as she shook him off. "It's noth-"

"I don't believe you."

Her gaze snapped back to his, his green eyes solid with determination.

"Please, don't shut me out anymore."

Lightning wanted to laugh at herself. Three days. It had only taken three days for Hope to come in and break through her iron resolve. _He had help_ , she rationalized. But she was far from broken. She couldn't tell him everything, but she could give him something. She owed him that.

Lightning stood and made her way over to the couch, waited until he joined her. His weight sunk in next to her and Lightning could almost relish in the security, the acceptance, that she felt radiating off of him. He faced her as if he was ready to take in everything she said and embrace it, disregarding her failures, the horrors of her past, because he just _cared_ that much. He was her best friend, after all. Her brilliant pupil and cherished family member. She really couldn't lose him in her life.

His gentle eyes on her almost made her want to scream; she didn't deserve him. But they also calmed her, held back the racing thoughts and pitiable nature that lied within the caverns of her mind. His silence drew her to turn more towards him. She would face him, like the strong Farron she was. Or claimed to be…

"Some months ago, there were attacks on the G.C. The details are complicated and classified, but it was a lot to deal with. We had an informant, a witness and former member of the group behind the attacks, who was supposed to lead us to them. It was going fine, until we messed up. I messed up…" Hope hummed as she paused, no judgement in his tone, only curiosity and concern. "Long story short, we were betrayed. My unit, Zael and I, we were all left and attacked and, well, I was left with this," she made a vague gesture to her face with a grimace, "and enough dead soldiers to cement the day into my mind."

She was withholding some major details, he could surmise that much, but he took it in, absorbed every word. At least he knew some of what had been haunting Lightning. Even though he had only been around for such a small amount of time, he could see that something was hidden beneath her hard shell. Hell, he knew something was off with her the moment he'd stepped off that train and saw the scar, the scorn that was written in her expression at his initial inquiry. But he should have known much sooner. "I'm sorry…" Hope turned to her, his expression a mess of guilt. "I should have been here for you, Lightning. I'm so sorry." Although her account gave him nothing but a rough sketch, a faint glimmer, of the actual events, he could feel the agony and grief it had caused her. He should have been there for her.

His hand cupped her cheek once more, fingers more firmly set over the marred skin. His touch gently, yet purposely lingered there and Lightning didn't feel the need to fight it off. The urge wasn't there. Lightning let him comfort her, let their foreheads rest together, even if it was only for a few moments.

She remembered this peace. It was a serenity they both shared when things got rough in the past. When Hope visited and his nightmares of the purge would get to him or when Lightning's past demons would eat at her, they would just sit together, forehead to forehead and chase it all away.

"I'm sorry."

Lightning shook her head, her eyes opening to gaze at him. His eyes were still closed, his hand still cradling her jaw. Her other major problem stirred deeply inside her as he murmured an apology once more. She didn't deserve him in her life, but she'd be damned if she was ever going to let him go.

Before he could whisper anymore of his remorse, Lightning pulled away, slipping his hand off of her cheek and into her own. "Enough apologies. You had school and having a little drama queen like you around would have only made my life more hectic." She smirked at his scoff. "I do apologize for earlier. We got some news today that just reminded me of the incident. It was overwhelming." _To say the least._

"You don't need to apologize either. It's nice that I can still be here for you."

It wasn't often Lightning cursed her gut feelings, but she really despised the light fluttering that had responded to his words. "Don't get used to it." She flicked his forehead as she stood up, his startled chuckles following her out of the room.

* * *

It was nearly four in the afternoon when Hope got a call from Alyssa, hastily inviting him to a get to know the campus tour of the Academy on the following day. As a promising new student, she was allowed to bring a plus one. Most likely in hopes that it would convince another promising young student to join their ranks as well. Hope was touched to be considered, but extremely torn as to what to do.

Maybe it was wrong. Maybe it was a part of his tempered rebellious side. Maybe it was just his dangerous curiosity getting the better of him.

He said yes.


End file.
